Chair with a Separate and Adjustable Headrest

ABSTRACT

A chair or sofa having a backrest and a headrest which can be pivoted relative to the backrest between a non-use position and a use position. The headrest is connected with the backrest via at least one pivot fitting for pivoting the headrest. The backrest and the headrest are separately upholstered. The headrest is arranged in the use position at least partly above an upper edge of the backrest and behind the backrest and below the upper edge of the backrest in the non-use position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2015 119 326.4 filed Nov. 10, 2015, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a chair, in particular armchair or sofa, having a backrest and a headrest which can be pivoted relative to the backrest from a non-use position into a use position and back, wherein the headrest is connected with the backrest via at least one pivot fitting for pivoting the headrest, wherein the backrest and the headrest are separately upholstered and wherein the headrest is arranged in the use position at least partly above an upper edge of the backrest.

Description of Related Art

Chairs such as armchairs or sofas are known in many different designs. To facilitate a comfortable seating position for the user, chairs often have a headrest which is positioned above the backrest and against which the user can lay his/her head. To satisfy different seating positions of the user and/or different positions of the chair, the headrests can be pivoted relative to the backrest as required, for which at least one pivot fitting is generally provided via which the headrest is connected with the backrest. Via the at least one pivot fitting, a defined adjusting movement of the headrest is specified and the headrest held on the chair securely and in a stable manner.

For comfort, it is also significant that appropriate chairs are typically upholstered. The term “upholstered furniture” is therefore also used. The upholstery is provided on the backrest in particular. However, the headrest is often also separately upholstered or upholstered together with the backrest in order to better visually integrate the headrest into the chair and/or the backrest. In these cases, the headrest is positioned between the use position and the non-use position so that the upholstery between the backrest and the headrest remains under tension at all times in order to avoid an unsightly wrinkling of the headrest.

As the headrest can disturb the user's visual perception or is not required in order to sit comfortably in every seating position, some chairs provide the option of positioning the headrest, via the pivot fitting, between a use position and a non-use position. In the use position, the user can comfortably lean his/her head against the headrest. In the non-use position, the user cannot lay his/her head against the headrest. However, the headrest does not prevent the user from sitting comfortably and/or disturb his/her aesthetic perception.

With regard to the known chairs, however, there is an additional need for optimisation, as they do not always permit satisfactory compromises with respect to the functionality of the chairs, the flexibility of the design and the aesthetic and qualitative impression of the chair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is therefore to design and further develop the chair mentioned above and explained in greater detail previously in such a manner that the disadvantages of the prior art can be avoided or at least alleviated.

This object is achieved in a chair as described herein in that the headrest is arranged behind the backrest and below the upper edge of the backrest in the non-use position.

The invention has recognised that functional and aesthetic chairs can be supplied which allow a high degree of flexibility and individuality in the actual design of each chair when the adjustment of the headrest and the at least one pivot fitting of the chair provides a positioning of the headrest behind the backrest in the non-use position. As such, the headrest then disappears in functional terms. This does not mean, of course, that the headrest physically disappears, but rather that the headrest can be arranged in the non-use position or integrated into the chair so that the headrest is not perceived by the user of the chair as a headrest in this position. For example, in the non-use position the headrest can also give the impression that it is part of the frame of the chair.

The invention has also recognised that in order to achieve this effect, it is expedient to upholster the headrest and the backrest separately, although in known upholstered furniture the common upholstery should ensure that the headrest, in any case in the non-use position, is not perceived as a separate, then functionless component. This is also achieved in particular in that the headrest can be arranged, differently from ordinary headrests, below the upper edge of the backrest. The greater the use made of this option, the more pronounced the effect achieved.

Moreover, the invention accepts that appropriate headrests arranged behind the backrest and below the upper edge of the backrest in the non-use position require a more complex pivot movement of the headrests. The headrest must not only be set up or pivoted out to enter a position where the user can easily lean his/her head against the headrest. The headrest must first be moved upwards to adopt a position above the backrest in which the headrest can then be pivoted substantially freely. As the invention has recognised, the required pivot movement of the headrest can also be realised without a complex and thus expensive design of the pivot fitting.

In a first preferred design of the chair, it is provided that the pivot fitting includes a linear guide for the linear movement of a support lever and/or the headrest if the headrest is adjusted from the non-use position into the use position. This linear guide can be used to ensure in a simple and reliable manner that the headrest is initially adjusted from the non-use position, at least upwards in a substantially linear manner as required. For example, the headrest can first be actually pivoted into a more upright position and/or forwards at the level of the upper edge of the backrest or above. Of course, this can be complemented by a further linear adjustment of the headrest. It is structurally simple and reliable to design the linear guide in the form of a rail system. There, at least one rail can be moved by linear guidance, in particular back and forth. Especially where a linear guide has multiple rails which can be moved linearly, for the sake of simplicity and for stability reasons, these can be mounted against each other in a telescopic and extendable manner.

Alternatively, or additionally, the pivot fitting can have a pivot lever which is used to pivot the headrest when adjusting the headrest from the non-use position into the use position. The pivoting is carried out relative to the chair and/or the backrest in particular. The pivot lever is provided in the pivot fitting in particular in such a manner that the headrest pivots about an appropriate pivot axis, and less for the linear adjustment and/or the height adjustment of the headrest. In this manner, a separation between the pivoting and the linear adjustment of the headrest which is at least partly functional can be easily realised.

In this regard, it makes sense, in addition, if the pivot fitting has a tilting lever to guide the pivot lever when adjusting the headrest from the non-use position and the use position. The tilting lever can be provided so that it tilts about an axis, for example, if the pivot fitting is adjusted to drive the pivot lever via this tilting. For this purpose, the tilting lever can be held pivotably in a simple manner about an axis on another component of the pivot fitting.

The minimise the complexity of the adjustment of the pivot fitting and the pivot fitting itself, the tilting lever can be installed pivotably on the support lever and/or the linear guide, in particular on a rail of the linear guide. The advantage of this is also that during adjustment of the headrest, the pivot axis can move back and forth along the linear guide, in particular up and down. This leads, as required, to a further separation of the pivot movement of the headrest on the one hand and the linear movement of the headrest on the other hand. Ultimately, this enables a simpler and more reliable design of the at least one pivot fitting.

So that the tilting lever tilts in a defined manner when adjusting the headrest and thereby controls the movement of the pivot lever as required, the pivot fitting can include a control lever which is provided for tilting the tilting lever when adjusting the headrest from the non-use position into the use position. The pivot lever can therefore be hinged via the control lever on the frame of the chair in order to ensure a very precise movement of the headrest. The tilting of the tilting lever is then, for example, only partly dependent on the movement of the tilting lever together with the support lever and/or the linear guide when adjusting the headrest. The movement of the tilting lever can be partly balanced and/or partly reinforced as required via the control lever. Alternatively, or additionally, the tilting lever can have two pivot arms originating from the pivot axis associated with the tilting lever, where one pivot arm can be connected with the pivot lever and one pivot arm with the control lever. This makes it possible to be able to adapt the movement of the headrest to the relevant requirements very precisely in a structurally simple manner.

The control lever can be mounted pivotably relative to the chair. This allows the pivot fitting to be controlled during the adjustment of the headrest. The control lever can be pivoted in one direction via a part of the adjustment range during adjustment from the non-use position into the use position, whereas the control lever can be pivoted in the other direction via another part of the adjustment range. For the sake of simplicity, the control lever can thereby pivot about a stationary pivot axis. The term ‘stationary’ means, in particular, that the position of the pivot axis relative to the chair and/or frame of the chair does not change during adjustment of the headrest. As a general principle, in the manner described it can be achieved that the movement of the headrest in one adjustment range fundamentally differs from the movement of the headrest in another adjustment range. For example, the headrest is primarily raised or lowered in one adjustment range, whereas the headrest is primarily pivoted forwards or backwards in another adjustment range.

Because the headrest is arranged behind the backrest and below the upper edge of the backrest in the non-use position, it can be difficult for the user to reach there to adjust the headrest. To counter this disadvantage, a start-up device can be provided with which the headrest and/or the pivot fitting can be brought to a starting position from which further adjustment can then be achieved more easily. In addition, for the sake of simplicity the start-up device can have, as required, a start lever held pivotably relative to the pivot fitting. The start lever can then additionally be designed so that it interacts with the pivot fitting when pivoting from a rest position into a starting position in such a manner that the headrest is moved from the non-use position into a starting position. It is thus possible to move the headrest via the start-up device and via the start lever from the non-use position into the starting position, from which the headrest can then be easily adjusted otherwise, instead of moving the headrest in the other appropriate manner, if necessary, from the non-use position into the use position.

It is particularly simple, both with regard to use and from a structural perspective, if the start-up device has an actuating device which is actuated by pulling. The start lever can then be actuated, in particular pulled, via this actuating device. So that the actuating device can be easily reached without disturbing the user, the actuating device can be designed as a band. The band can be pulled very easily if a loop is provided at its free end.

Alternatively, or additionally, the pivot fitting can also be motor driven. A start-up device is then often unnecessary because the headrest does not have to be taken hold of to adjust the headrest, in any case not necessarily in the non-use position. The motor drive can also ensure that the headrest is held securely or locked at least in the use position but also in other positions as required. The motor drive can engage, for example, on the at least one pivot fitting, or on a crossbar that connects two pivot fittings arranged on opposite sides of the headrest. The connection between the motor drive and the pivot fitting and the headrest is preferably made by a threaded rod that can be adjusted by the drive in the longitudinal direction.

To be able to lock the headrest at least in the use position, but particularly in a plurality of different positions, preferably between the non-use position and the use position, the pivot fitting can alternatively or additionally have a locking joint in the connection between the headrest and the support lever. The locking joint provides a form closure for locking the headrest in the appropriate position. The additional positions can, as required, be additional use positions between the end positions of non-use position and use position. The pivot fitting can thereby have at least one assembly lever which at least partly bears the headrest. This assembly lever can then be connected to the support lever, forming a locking joint.

Locking joints are characterised, for example, in that they include a sprocket with which a ratchet meshes. The ratchet and the sprocket are coordinated so that the ratchet slides off the sprocket during adjustment of the headrest from the non-use position into the use position so as to enable the adjustment of the headrest. The ratchet can, however, counteract an adjustment in the opposite direction using a form closure between the ratchet and the sprocket. The ratchet then engages positively in the sprocket. To adjust the headrest back to the non-use position, it can be provided that the headrest is first adjusted fully into the use position, disabling the ratchet, until the headrest enters the non-use position again, to then be re-enabled. Alternatively, the locking joint can also be designed as a clamping joint. The adjustment of the headrest into the non-use position is then blocked by the form closure between the ratchet and the sprocket until a clamping force is overcome by the user. Friction surfaces of the locking joint then slide together and the headrest adjusts itself towards the non-use position, although the ratchet continues to positively engage in the sprocket.

For positive, non-positive and/or clamping locking of the headrest in at least the use position, but in particular in a plurality of positions, at least one lift adjuster can be provided. For greater convenience when adjusting the headrest, the lift adjuster can be a continuously variable lift adjuster. Alternatively, or additionally, the lift adjuster can have a casing and an adjustment shaft which is partly extendable relative to the casing. The adjustment shaft can be prevented from sliding into the casing, for example, by a form closure and/or a force closure between the casing and the adjustment shaft. In particular, it is provided that a clamping element is placed between the adjustment shaft and the casing which is clamped in the lift adjuster in such a manner that the adjustment shaft is prevented from sliding further into the casing. To be able to slide the adjustment shaft back into the casing, this must, as required, first be completely pulled out of the casing up to an end position. At the same time, this prevents a force closure or clamping when sliding the adjustment shaft back in. If the adjustment shaft enters the starting position again, however, the force closure and/or the clamp is enabled again. In this regard, reference is made to the lift adjuster described in patent application DE 10 2014 109 010 A1, which, by way of reference, is hereby understood to be the subject matter of the present application, in such a manner that the lift adjuster described therein is a lift adjuster preferred here. The lift adjuster can be also designed to provide a form closure between the adjustment shaft and the casing, which can be achieved, for example, with at least one ratchet engaging in appropriate holding fixtures as required. The ratchet can be provided on the adjustment shaft and/or on the housing. The holding fixtures are then particularly provided on the opposite component. The ratchet can also be disabled to easily adjust the headrest back into the non-use position by fully extending the adjustment shaft into the use position of the headrest or beyond, and re-enabled when the adjustment shaft is slid into the non-use position.

Alternatively, or in addition to an adjustment shaft, at least one gas spring can also be provided in order to adjust the headrest from the non-use position into the use position and/or vice versa. The gas spring preferably locks in the inserted position. With additional gentle pressure, the lock on the gas spring can be reversed, which is also referred to as the ballpoint pen principle. The gas spring then extends preferably automatically until, for example, the headrest enters the use position or the non-use position. The appropriate gas spring is therefore particularly suitable for adjustment between two end positions of the gas spring.

The at least one lift adjuster and/or the at least one gas spring can both be connected to a pivot fitting to achieve a compact, space-saving arrangement. The at least one lift adjuster and/or the at least one gas spring can also, however, be provided between two pivot fittings which are preferably provided on opposite sides of the headrest. The two pivot fittings can then also be connected with a crossbar. For the sake of simplicity, the at least one lift adjuster and/or the at least one gas spring can then be hinged on this crossbar. As a general principle, the lift adjuster and/or the at least one gas spring can also, however, be attached to another already existing crossbar or another component.

Alternatively, or additionally, the chair includes a frame element which bears the backrest and the headrest. The frame element can act as a type of chassis for the chair on which attachments are mounted. In addition, or instead, however, the frame element can also be provided to stand on the floor and to support the backrest and the headrest relative to the ground. Regardless of the above, the headrest and the frame element can be connected with a flexible screening means so that the at least one pivot fitting is not visible or not easily visible, in any case when the headrest is arranged in the use position. This is achieved, for example, in that, in the use position of the headrest, the pivot fitting is at least partly arranged between the backrest and the screening means. For the sake of simplicity, the screening means can be made from a textile web, a piece of leather, a piece of plastic and/or a film. Such screening means not only look good but can also be easily repeatedly merged and folded together and pulled apart if the headrest is repeatedly pivoted from the non-use position into the use position and back.

To set the location of the headrest in the non-use position and/or in the use position, the pivot lever can have at least one stop surface. The at least one stop surface can, for the sake of simplicity, come into operation when the at least one stop surface comes into contact with the support lever and/or the tilting lever when the headrest has reached the appropriate position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, the invention is explained in more detail on the basis of a drawing which merely illustrates exemplary embodiments. In the drawing,

FIG. 1A-D shows a first chair according to the invention in a vertical section view from the side in different positions,

FIG. 2A-D shows a pivot fitting of the chair according to FIG. 1 in a perspective view in the positions according to FIG. 1A-D,

FIG. 3A-D shows a second chair according to the invention with a start-up device in a vertical section view from the side in different positions,

FIG. 4A-B shows a pivot fitting of a third chair according to the invention including a locking joint in a perspective view in two different positions,

FIG. 5A-B shows a pivot fitting of a fourth chair according to the invention including a lift adjuster in a perspective view in two different positions,

FIG. 6 shows a fifth chair according to the invention with lift adjusters in a perspective section view and

FIG. 7 shows a sixth chair according to the invention with a motor drive in a perspective section view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1A-D display a chair 1 with a headrest 2 in different positions. The chair 1 includes, in addition to the headrest 2, a backrest 3, a seat 4, two pivot fittings 5 and a frame element 6 which bears the backrest 3, the headrest 2, the seat 4 and the pivot fitting 5 and supports them relative to the ground on which the frame element 6 stands. The headrest 2 and the backrest 3 are upholstered separately. In addition, the seat 4 is also separately upholstered. It is, however, conceivable for the seat 4 and the backrest 3 to have common upholstery. The headrest 2 is located in the position according to FIG. 1 A in the non-use position. The user does not use the headrest 2 in this position. In the non-use position, the headrest 2 is positioned behind the backrest 3 and below the upper edge 7 of the backrest 3. The headrest 2 can be adjusted from this non-use position into a use position. The non-use position and the use position constitute the end positions between which the headrest 2 can be adjusted back and forth.

To bring the headrest 2 from the non-use position into the use position, the headrest 2 can be taken by the user and moved upwards. The chair 1 thereby enters the position displayed in FIG. 1B. The headrest 2 is raised upwards slightly in particular and pivoted forwards gently. This movement of the headrest 2 is dictated and guided by the pivot fitting 5. Furthermore, a folded screening means 8 is partly unfolded so that, despite the headrest 2 being raised, a screen is present into the inside of the frame element 6 and on the pivot fitting 5. This means that neither the pivot fitting 5 is easily visible, nor can the inside of the frame element 6 be seen.

During further adjustment of the headrest 2 towards the use position, the position of the chair 1 displayed in FIG. 1C is adopted. In this position, the headrest 2 is further raised and now significantly pivoted. Until the use position displayed in FIG. 1D is reached, the headrest 2 is only slightly raised, but nevertheless pivoted forwards significantly. In the appropriate use position, the user of the chair 1 can comfortably lean his/her head against the headrest 2. The rear area of the headrest 2 and the part of the pivot fitting 5 protruding from the frame element 6 are covered by the now further folded screening means 8. The pivot fitting 5 and the inside of the frame element 6 are not easily visible from the outside in this position either.

To adjust the headrest 2 back into the non-use position, the previously described adjustment of the headrest 2 is only performed again in the opposite direction. For adjustment of the headrest 2, the pivot fittings of the chair 1 are used which are arranged on both sides of the headrest 2 and of which only one pivot fitting 5 is displayed in each of the FIGS. 1A-D. The appropriate pivot fitting 5 is displayed in detail in FIGS. 2A-D in the positions according to FIGS. 1A-D. There it is more easily apparent how the pivot fitting 5 is adjusted to pivot the headrest 2 from the non-use position into the use position and back. This also results in the pivot fitting 5 being pivoted during adjustment of the headrest 2 from the use position into the non-use position, as the pivot fitting 5 is then only adjusted in the opposite direction as well.

FIG. 2A displays a position of the pivot fitting 5 which is adopted if the headrest 2 is situated in the non-use position. The pivot fitting 5 displayed and to that extent preferred includes a mounting plate 9 with which the pivot fitting 5 is attached, in particular screwed, to the frame element 6 of the chair 1. The mounting plate 9 bears a linear guide 10 which is designed as a rail system 11 with several rails 12. The rails 12 can be moved towards each other in the longitudinal direction. In this manner, a telescopic rail system 11 is created in the displayed and to that extent preferred pivot fitting 5 which can be pulled apart telescopically and pushed together again. The linear guide 10 bears, as required, a support lever 13 as a rail 12 of the rail system 11 which can be moved linearly upwards and back down via the rail system 11 and at least partly supports the headrest 2 relative to the frame element 6.

At the upper end of the support lever 13, an assembly lever 14 is pivotably connected to the support lever 13 about a pivot axis 15 for this purpose. The actual headrest 2 is mounted on the assembly lever 14, for which a flange 16 is provided on the assembly lever 14. A carrier element, such as in the form of a board, can be mounted on the flange 16 which can then extend to the flange 16 of the additional pivot fitting 5 provided opposite. This additional pivot fitting 5 is preferably constructed identically but in a mirror-inverted manner.

A pivot lever 17 is also pivotably connected with the assembly lever 14 about a pivot axis 18. The pivot lever 17 is used in particular for pivoting the headrest 2 about the pivot axis 15 between the assembly lever 14 and the support lever 13. In addition, the pivot lever 17 is pivotably connected with its opposite end to a tilting lever 19 about a pivot axis 20. The tilting lever 19 is in turn pivotably held via a pivot axis 21 on the linear guide 10, in particular the support lever 13. The tilting lever 19 has two lever arms 22, 23 originating from this connection with the linear guide 10, about which the tilting lever 19 can be tilted, the said lever arms extending substantially in opposite directions. One lever arm 22 is, as already explained, connected with the pivot lever 17, whereas the other lever arm 23 of the tilting lever 19 is pivotably connected via a pivot axis 24 with a control lever 25. The control lever 25 is hinged at its other end via a pivot axis 26 on the mounting plate 9.

The pivot fitting 5 displayed and to that extent preferred is designed as simply as possible. Unnecessary levers have been omitted in particular. Nonetheless, individual levers could be replaced by a plurality of levers as required and the same functionality achieved. The term ‘lever’ is therefore not necessarily understood to mean individual lever here, but lever unit if required. The adjustment of the pivot fitting 5 displayed and to that extent preferred is explained below.

During adjustment of the headrest 2 from the non-use position into the use position, the pivot fitting 5 is initially adjusted from the position according to FIG. 2A into the position according to FIG. 2B when, for instance, the headrest 2 is taken by the user and adjusted in the desired direction. This, in particular, moves the support lever 13 via the linear guide 10, and thus the headrest 2, upwards. At the same time, the tilting lever 19 is also moved upwards. Due to the connection of the tilting lever 19 via the control lever 25 to the mounting plate 9, the tilting lever 19 tilts significantly into a horizontal position. Because the lever arm 22 of the tilting lever 19, connected to the pivot arm 17, is very short, however, and the pivot axes 20, 21 between the tilting lever 19 and the linear guide 10 on the one hand as well as the pivot lever 17 on the other hand are initially arranged almost on top of each other, the significant tilting of the tilting lever 19 only results in a slight adjustment of the pivot lever 17 relative to the support lever 13. Consequently, the assembly lever 14 and thus ultimately the headrest 2 are only slightly pivoted about the pivot axis 15 between the support lever 13 and the assembly lever 14. This is expedient to be able to first of all lift the headrest 2 above the upper edge 7 of the backrest 3 in order to then be pivoted more freely.

During further adjustment of the pivot fitting 5, the tilting lever 19 tilts further, while the tilting lever 19, the support lever 13, the assembly lever 14 and the headrest 2 are raised further. Because the lever arm 22 of the tilting lever 19, connected to the pivot arm 17, is more horizontal, a larger adjustment path is transmitted by the tilting lever 19 to the pivot lever 17, which pivots the assembly lever 14 and thus the headrest 2 slightly more strongly about the pivot axis 15 between the support lever 13 and the assembly lever 14, in any case based on the height adjustment of the support lever 13 caused by the linear guide 10.

The support lever 13 is only slightly raised via the linear guide 10 up to the use position of the headrest 2. However, the assembly lever 14 is pivoted significantly. This is achieved in that the control lever 25 now pivots relative to the mounting plate 9 in the direction opposite to that originating from the non-use position. This pivots the tilting lever 19 in a roughly vertical direction and significantly raises the pivot lever 17 in relation to the support lever 13. Because the angle between the pivot lever 17 and the support lever 13 also decreases, the headrest 2 is mainly pivoted at the end of the adjustment path, whereas the headrest 2 is mainly raised at the beginning of the adjustment path. The headrest 2 is adjusted back into the non-use position in an identically opposite manner.

In the displayed and to that extent preferred pivot fitting 5, the pivot lever has stop faces 27, 28 which prevent further adjustment of the pivot fitting beyond the use position and the non-use position. In the non-use position, one stop face 27 is in contact with the tilting lever 19, whereas in the use position, the other stop face 28 is in contact with the support lever 13. As a general principle, however, the stop faces could also be provided on other levers and in turn come into contact with other levers in the use position and/or the non-use position as required.

FIGS. 3A-D display the adjustment of the headrest 2 outbound from the non-use position into the use position with the aid of a start-up device 30. In principle, the chair 1′ otherwise corresponds to the chair 1 according to FIG. 1, whereas the pivot fitting 5 otherwise substantially corresponds to the pivot fitting 5 according to FIG. 2. In addition, however, a start lever 31 of the start-up device 30 is provided which is pivotably hinged on the mounting plate 9 in the displayed and to that extent preferred chair 1′. The start lever 31 is actuated by pulling an actuating device 32 in the form of a band and thereby moved from the rest position displayed in FIGS. 3A and 3D into the starting position displayed in FIG. 3C. The actuating device 32 can be made of a textile material and have a loop 33 to enable the user to take hold of it more effectively. In addition, the actuating device 32 is passed through the displayed and to that extent preferred chair 1′ by way of a gap 34 between the seat 4 and the backrest 3 in the direction of the seat surface 35. It is sufficient if the start-up device 30 is provided on a pivot fitting 5. The actuating device 32 is then also provided on only one side of the seat 4.

If the user pulls on the actuating device 32 while the headrest 2 is situated in the non-use position according to FIG. 3A, then the start lever 31 swings forwards. A stop face 36 of the start lever 31 reaches a stopper 37 of the pivot fitting 5, where the stopper 37 can be designed to be rotatable so as to be subsequently guided with less friction along the stop face 36. Alternatively, or additionally, however, a material with a low coefficient of friction can also be used. In the displayed and to that extent preferred pivot fitting 5, the stopper 37 is attached to the tilting lever 19 so that it contacts the start lever 31. In this manner, the force exerted by the start lever 31 on the pivot fitting 5 can be transferred in particular by raising the support lever 13. The chair 1′ thereby enters the position displayed in FIG. 3B.

This movement, of course, entails the adjustment of the pivot fitting 5, as the pivot fitting 5 has only one degree of freedom in this respect. Accordingly, the stop face 36 of the start lever 31 is bent to follow the adjustment of the pivot fitting 5. Initially, the stop face 36 is strongly inclined relative to the vertical, whereas the stop face 36 becomes more and more vertically inclined as the headrest 2 is increasingly adjusted into a starting position. The actuating device 32 can thereby be pulled into the position displayed in FIG. 3C and the start lever 31 pivoted into the appropriate position in which the start lever 31, for example, can push onto a stop face or the back rest 3. The headrest 2 is then situated in the starting position. In this position, the user can take hold of the headrest 2 and move it much more easily into the use position displayed in FIG. 3D compared to the non-use position.

FIGS. 4A-B display a pivot fitting 5′ including a locking joint 40 in the connection between the support lever 13′ and the assembly lever 14′ in two different positions, namely in the non-use position according to FIG. 4A and in the use position according to FIG. 4B. The locking joint 40 has a rotating sprocket 41 and a concealed ratchet 42. During adjustment towards the use position, the ratchet 42 slides off the sprocket 41, but it enters into a positive fit with the sprocket 41 if the headrest 2 is pivoted back towards the non-use position. The headrest 2 is therefore locked in the appropriate position or at least another position. This can be a different use position in which the user finds the position of the headrest 2 comfortable. To reset the locking joint 40, the use position must first be reached, for example, in which the ratchet 42 is disabled, until the non-use position is reached and the ratchet 42 re-enabled. Alternatively, a sufficiently high force must be applied so that despite the positive fit of ratchet 42 and sprocket 41, otherwise clamping friction surfaces slide past each other and allow readjustment. The term ‘locking clamping joint’ is then used, which, like locking joint 40, is already known.

FIGS. 5A-B display a pivot fitting 5″ with a lift adjuster 50, where the pivot fitting 5″ is displayed in the non-use position in FIG. 5A and in the use position in FIG. 5B. The lift adjuster 50 connects the mounting plate 9 with the support lever 13 and prevents accidental readjustment of the headrest 2 towards the non-use position. During adjustment of the pivot fitting 5″ towards the use position, an adjustment shaft 51 is pulled out of a casing 52 of the lift adjuster 50. The adjustment shaft 51 cannot, however, be easily inserted back into the casing 52, because, for example, a ratchet of the adjustment shaft 51 enters into a positive fit with the casing 52 or a ratchet of the casing 52 enters into a positive fit with the adjustment shaft 51. Alternatively, however, the adjustment shaft 51 can become clamped in the casing 52, because, for instance, at least one clamping element has jammed between the adjustment shaft 51 and the casing 52. In the case of a clamp connection, the lift adjuster 50 can be designed so as to be continuously variable as required. However, the lift adjuster 50 can, if the adjustment shaft 51 is fully extended up to the use position of the headrest 2, be converted into a state in which the adjustment shaft 51 can be inserted into the casing 52. If the non-use position of the headrest 2 is thereby reached, the lift adjuster 50 is re-enabled and adjustment is prevented again. In this regard, reference is made to the lift adjuster described in patent application DE 10 2014 109 010 A1, whose entire content is hereby also understood to be the subject matter of the present application.

FIG. 6 displays an alternative arrangement of lift adjusters 50. In the displayed and to that extent preferred chair 1″, two pivot fittings 5 are provided on opposite sides of the headrest 2 which, in particular their support lever 13, are connected via a crossbar 60. Furthermore, a crossbar 61 between the side parts 62 of the frame element 6 of the chair 1″ is also provided. The two lift adjusters 50 are each connected to both crossbars 60, 61 to be able to lock the headrest 2 in the position desired by the user.

FIG. 7 displays a chair 1′″ of the type described above, which, however, has a motor drive 70 instead of a locking joint 40, a lift adjuster 50 and a start-up device 30. The motor 71 of the motor drive 70 is installed so that it is stationary in the frame element 6 of the chair 1′″ and moves a threaded rod 72 back and forth in its longitudinal direction. The threaded rod 72 is connected with a crossbar 60 between the two pivot fittings 5 of the displayed and to that extent preferred chair 1′″, via which the pivot fittings 5 are on the one hand powered and on the other hand locked by the motor drive 70. 

1. A chair having a backrest and a headrest which can be pivoted relative to the backrest from a non-use position into a use position and back, wherein the headrest is connected with the backrest via at least one pivot fitting for pivoting the headrest, the backrest and the headrest are separately upholstered and wherein the headrest is arranged in the use position at least partly above an upper edge of the backrest, and wherein the headrest is arranged behind the backrest and below the upper edge of the backrest in the non-use position.
 2. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the pivot fitting has a linear guide for linear movement of a support lever during adjustment of the headrest from the non-use position and the use position.
 3. The chair according to claim 2, wherein the pivot fitting has a pivot lever for pivoting the headrest during adjustment of the headrest from the non-use position and the use position.
 4. The chair according to claim 3, wherein the pivot fitting has a tilting lever for guiding the pivot lever during adjustment of the headrest from the non-use position and the use position.
 5. The chair according to claim 4, wherein the tilting lever is pivotably held on the linear guide and/or the support lever.
 6. The chair according to claim 5, wherein the pivot fitting has a control lever for tilting the tilting lever when adjusting the headrest from the non-use position and the use position.
 7. The chair according to claim 6, wherein the control lever is held about a stationary pivot axis relative to the chair and wherein the control lever is pivoted in one direction during adjustment of the headrest from the non-use position into an intermediate position and in an opposite direction during adjustment of the headrest from the intermediate position into the non-use position.
 8. The chair according to claim 1, wherein a start-up device having a start lever is pivotably held relative to the pivot fitting and wherein the start lever interacts with the pivot fitting when pivoting from a rest position into a starting position in such a manner that the headrest is moved from the non-use position into a starting position.
 9. The chair according to claim 8, wherein the start-up device has an actuating device which is actuated by pulling.
 10. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the pivot fitting is motor driven.
 11. The chair according to claim 2, wherein the pivot fitting has a locking joint in a connection between the headrest and the support lever for locking the headrest relative to the support lever in a plurality of positions.
 12. The chair according to claim 2, further comprising at least one lift adjuster for positive, clamping or non-positive locking of the headrest relative to the support lever or the backrest in a plurality of positions, and wherein at least one gas spring is provided for adjusting the headrest from the non-use position into the use position or vice versa.
 13. The chair according to claim 12, wherein the at least one lift adjuster or the at least one gas spring is connected with the pivot fitting or is provided between pivot fittings at opposite sides of the headrest, and is connected with a crossbar linking the pivot fittings together.
 14. The chair according to claim 1, further comprising a frame element bearing the backrest and the headrest wherein the headrest and the frame element are connected with a flexible member and wherein the pivot fitting is at least partly arranged between the backrest and the flexible member in the use position of the headrest.
 15. The chair according to claim 3, wherein the pivot lever has at least one stop face for defining at least the non-use position or use position and, wherein the at least one stop face comes into contact with the support lever or the tilting lever.
 16. The chair according to claim 2, wherein the linear guide comprises telescopically extending rails.
 17. The chair according to claim 14, wherein the flexible member comprises a textile web, a piece of leather, or a film. 